Indicating, recording, and controlling device actuated by an electric current



1. E. COLAS AND E. L. M. RAGONOT.

INDICATING, RECORDlNGfAND CONTROLLING DEVICE ACTUATED BY AN ELECTRIC CURRENT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. 1913.

3 ,3 PatentedSept.20, 1921.4

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. E. COLAS AND E. L. M. RAGONOT.

INDICATING RECORDING. AND CONTROLLING DEVICE ACTUATED BY-AN ELECTRIC CURRENT. APPLICATION FILED JULY I1. 1913.

1,391,321. PatentedSept. 20,1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' UNITED srArEs- PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ERNEST COLAS AND EDMOND LOUIS MARIE BAGONQT, 0F PA n INmQA'rI-NG, RECORDING, AND CONTROLLING nEvIcE ACTUATED RY AN EEEo'rRrc CURRENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. v Patented Se t. 20 1921 Application filed July 17, 1913. Serial No. 773,604.

(GRANTED UNDER THE rRovIsIo s or THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 smr. n, 1313.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OSEPH ERNEST Cows and EDMOND LOUIS MARIE RAGONOT, citizens of the French Republic, residing at Paris, 49-53 Rue Lacordaire, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements to Indicating, Recording, and Controlling Devices Actuated by an Electric Current (for which we have filed an application in France, Addition 16,226 to Patent #398,465) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements and modifications in indicating, recording and controlling devices worked by anelectrio current, as described and claimed in the application for United States Letters Patent, bearing Serial 537,545.

The improved device according to the present invention makes it possible to obtain in a simple way and with great reliability, the following results in railway signaling; a warning given to the driver when a signal is at danger; a recording of the blowing of a whistle or the making of any other sound signal; and a recording of the passing of the train in front of a signal at clear.

In order to make the description of the improved system in question easily understood, the accompanying drawings are provided, in which Figure 1 is an elevation showing the whole device diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale showing an elevation partly in section of one construction of releasing device intended to actuate a magneto for generating the current used in the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a detail view corresponding to a section made on line TIL-III of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 an elevation showing diagrammatically another construction of releasing device for actuating the aforesaid magneto.

The same numbers and letters apply to the same elements in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1, the device comprises a magneto m placed on the locomotive, the spindle of which magneto is actuated by a releasing device, which will be described hereafter, and is under the control of a return spring 1 adapted to causethe spindle a to revolve suddenly. One of the terminals m of the magneto is connected to earth 2, by a conductor 1 while the other terminal m is connected by means of a wire 2, to a polarized relay 1:) of an electromagnetically controlled whistle s, of known construction, this relay being connected to earth by means of a wire 3.

The terminal m of the magneto m is also connected by means of a wire 4 to the windingsof a relay 6, which are connected by a wire 5 to an oscillating brush 5 situated under the locomotive and cooperating with a conducting strip 0 placed in the middle of the track near each signal, such as d and secured to a part i insulated from earth. .The strip cis electrically connected to a contact stud g, which can be connected to another contact stud j, by means of a switch it, controlled by the signal (Z, the said contact stud j being connected to earth by means of a wire 6. The brush 5 can oscillate about a spindle is and is constantly brought back to its normal position by return springs Z l.

The armature'of the relay 3? actuates, in

any known manner, as stated in the specification hereinbefore mentioned, a magneto n, a terminal of which is connected to the ground by a wire 7, the other terminal being connected by means of the wire 8 to. a polarized relay 0, arranged inside a recording apparatus). The said relay is connected to the ground by means of a wire 9.

The armature of the relays e and care each provided with a point or pin 9 and u adapted-to mark a'band of paper traveling under the said points, and thereby record the occurrence of any event and the time of its occurrence Constructed in this manner and independently of the kind of device used for setting and releasing the magneto m (which device will be described'hereafter) the deing coils and polarized. The polarized magnet forming a art of the relay 1) is indicated in Fig. 1 at p Immediately below the end of the coil forming part of the relay p is an armature normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1, said armature being pivoted to oscillate around a fixed point e. A rod or link x connects said armature with an arm a, said arm being keyed to the armature of the magneto n, the members w and 2 being pivoted together at the point y. Immediately'above the upper end of the fixed magnet 17 is a weighted armature 48 which is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by the attraction of the magnet 12'. However, upon the passage of the current through the relay 1), the magnet 72 is deenerg'ized thereby releasing the armatures at v oth ends of the magnet 12 and causing the operation of the armature of the magneto n on account of the weight of the lower armature of the relay ;0 and the weight of the rods 9: and arm a. At the same time, the armature 48 turns about its pivot 49 thereby operating the controlling rod 50 of the whistle against the spring 47. After the passage of the current from the magneto m, the magnetism of the permanent magnet p reasserts itself and attracts both its armatures so as to restore the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1 the rod 50 being drawn back by the spring 4 7. It will be understood further'that the use of a relay such as p is necessary on account of the rapid and short time flow of the current from the magneto m. The relay also-permits the use of fixed contacts in thecircuit of restricted length and the working of the elements during the very short time that the brush 6 is in contact with strip a.

' From the foregoing, it will be seen that as the brush 1) rides'over the insulated strip 0 it actuates the magneto m (as further explained) and the current produced by the magneto m passes through the relay p and demagnetizes it thus causing the whistle s or any othersound signal to work, in order to warn the engine driver that the line is blocked. The working of the relay 79 also brings the magneto 01. into operation and current therefrom passes through the relay 0 by which means the point a records on the moving paper band the passage of a locomotive pasta signal set for danger.

I It must be pointed out that the warning of the line being blocked needs no passage of current through the conducting strip 0 so that the working of the device insures safety whatever may be the state of the surface of the said strip. Snow, hoar-frost, etc. may therefore cover the strip with an insulating coating without preventing the device from working. Moreover the device would stillbe effective even if the wire which connects the strip a to the switch '9 71,

j controlledby the signal at were to break or if the terminal securing thesaid' wire to the contact stud g were to become loose. These accidents would merely result in insulating the strip 0 from the ground.

Assuming that the locomotive-is passing in front of a signal showing that the line is clear, the switch 9 h 7' will then connect the strip 0 to'the ground. When the brush 1) rides over the insulated stop 0 2', the current thus produced by the magneto m still passes through the relay p as above stated, but it also passes through the relay 6 of the apparatus f; hence the shunt current passing through the relay ;0 has not sufiicient intensity to operate the whistle, or sound signal 8, but the armature of the relay 6 is released, and its point 9 records on the paper band the passage of the locomotive in front of an open line signal.

The releasing devices for actuating the magneto m may be of various constructions, two of which are shown by way of example, in Figs. 2 and 3, and Fig. 4, respectively, of the drawings.

Inthe construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the said device is constructed as follows:

The-oscillating spindle'lc of the brush 19.

A lever 15 is secured to the upper end of p the link 12 which lever can freely oscillate on the spindle a of the magneto m and car ries a pawl 16 adapted to cooperate with a cam 17 keyed on the spindle a. The pawl '16 is an idle pawl, loosely mounted on a'pin 18 and having a tail-piece 16 by means of which tail-piece the pawl 16 is put into gearwith the cam 17 by means oftwo stationary stops 19 and 20. As the lever 15 is turned in the counter-clockwise direction the tailpiece 16 hits stop 19 and disengages the pawl 16 from cam 17, so that spring can I ierk spindle a back to normal position.

When brush Z; has been returned t normal position by spring Z, the stop 20 contacts with tailpiece 16" to return the pawl 16 to engagement with arm 11 as shownin Fig. 1.

This pawl is held in position by a spring 21,

surrounding the, pin 18 and abutting on a ring 22 secured to the said pin. 7

The brush b is locked on its support by means of a nut 23 and a tangential cotter 24. The oscillating spindle is is mounted in hearing 25, provided with a-wick lubricator 26; the arm 11 is secured bypressure on the spindle 70. The link 12 is jointed to the said arm by means of a hollow pin 27, provided with a wick lubricator.

A steel cover 28 protects the lower part of g the device 2'. e. the spindle is and its support, the double-armed lever 10, the arm 11 and the joint parts between the link 12 and the arm 11. This cover is electrically insulated from an upper casing 29 which contains the upper part of the device 2'. e. the magneto m and its releasing device.

The conductors between the magneto m and the brush 6 as above described, leave the upper casing 29 through two ebonite blocks 30, receiving plugs 31, insulated by means of ebonite tubes 32, the whole being mounted by means of a clamp 33 and air-tight packing 34.

In the construction shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, the arm 11 on the lever is is replaced by a cam 11, actuating by a lever 35, by means of a roller 36, the said lever being suitably guided at 37 and carrying at its upper end another roller 38. This roller 38 cooperates with a lever 39 mounted on a pin 40 and is under the action of a return spring 41, which thus keeps the roller 36 constantly in contact with the cam 11.

The lever 39 is also provided with a piv oted pawl 42 controlled by a return spring 43, which keeps it constantly in contact with a stationary stop 44; the tooth of the said pawl engages with a lever 45, keyed on the spindle a of the magneto m and controlled by a return spring 7*. Finally a boss 46 on the pawl bar, disengages positively the pawl tooth from the lever 45, when the lever 39 is sufliciently lowered by the cam 11.

It is easily understood that the riding of the brush 6 over the insulated stop 0- 5 will tension the spring 1" and release it with a jerk, either by the action of the cam 17 and the pawl 16, or by the action of the lever 45 and the pawl 42, according to the construction of the device.

The magneto m as above described, will thus be operated in any case.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim 1. An electrical signaling apparatus comprising in combination a magneto carried on the locomotive for generating the signaling current and having a spindle, a member fixed to said spindle, a spring attached to said member for normally holding the same in a given position, and means including a brush for operating said member in opposi tion to its restoring spring, and for releasing the same suddenly when the brush rides over a stop located on the track near the signal.

2. An electrical signaling apparatus comprising in combination means carried on a locomotive for generating a current at the time the locomotive passes a predetermined section of track, connections between, said means and ground including a switch which is closed when the signal is at clear, a recording apparatus controlled by said current generating means for recording the passage of a signal not at clear, a recording apparatus for recording the passage of a signal at clear, and parallel circuits for said apparatuses leading from said current generating means, the circuit for said second mentioned apparatus including said switch, the circuits of said recording apparatuses being so proportioned that when the circuit of the second apparatus is closed sufiicient current is available for the first recording apparatus to operate it.

3. An electrical signaling apparatus comprising in combination a magneto carried on the locomotiv for generating the signaling current and having a spindle, a member fixed to said spindle, a spring attached to said member for normally holding the same in a given position, means including a brush for operating said member in opposition to its restoring spring, and to release the same suddenly when the brush rides over a stop located on the track near the signal, said stop including an insulated strip adapted to be wiped over by the brush, connections between said strip and ground including a switch which is closed when the signal is at clear, a recording apparatus for indicating the passage of a signal not at clear, a sound signal, a circuit leading from the magneto and controlling said recording apparatus and said sound signal, a recording apparatus for indicating the passage of a signal at clear, and a circuit leading from the brush through the magneto and said last mentioned recording apparatus in parallel with the circuit controlling said sound signal and first mentioned recording apparatus, the circuits of the two recording apparatuses being so proportioned that when the circuit of the second apparatus is closed insufficient current is available for the sound signal and first recording apparatus to operate them.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH ERNEST COLAS. EDMOND LOUIS MARIE-RAGONOT.

lVitnesses:

HANSON C. CoxE, LUCIEN MEMMINGER. 

